There Was A Girl I Knew A Long Time Ago
by Noodlekuki
Summary: One-shot series featuring JackxAnna pairing.
1. Prologue

**Hello, readers, whether you read the A/N in my recent Big Four update or not, it's true that I'm starting a new fanfic. Moreover, it's something pretty new. Anyone know about the new Disney movie Frozen? Well, it's out in 27 days and I finally decided to start posting a one-shot series (very short stories I realized) featuring a new crossover pairing which is Jack FrostxPrincess Anna. Anna being the story's main protagonist. I know, huge change of pace ^^' But I hope you like it :)**

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**(A/N: Starting off, is a short prologue which takes place before Anna's older sister, Elsa, has to hide her winter powers from her)**

**Prologue**

The warm summer sunshine slanted in from the windows of the castle library. In the comfortable arm chair, nestled in the corner by the fireplace, the two young princesses were together. The littlest one, Anna, sat on her older sister's lap, while she, Elsa, brought forth a thick storybook. It read Legends and Fables in fancy script. Anna eagerly watched as Elsa opened the book, flipping to the first page. The Sandman.

Elsa read on, grinning at how excited Anna looked. Every story they read and every figure they saw seemed magical to her. The older girl felt a little wistful, wishing that she still had such child-like innocence. Elsa flipped the page, the image of a young man beside text. Anna readily waited for Elsa to begin reading, as she herself could not yet. "Jack Frost is the spirit of winter, thus the bringer of snow, ice and- _of course_- frost."

Anna interrupted, "Just like you!"

Elsa smiled in amusement at her sister's enthusiasm and nodded before continuing to read the entry. The younger princess listened on in amazement, finding this Jack Frost to sound wonderful. Anna sighed dreamily and asked, "Oh, Elsie, he's real, isn't he?"

Elsa chose her words carefully, "Well, Anna, I believe that's up to you to decide."

Anna cocked an eyebrow in confusion, "So, he is, then?"

Elsa sighed with a tired smile, "Yes, my sister." Anna turned back to the book, gazing at the picture with a hopeful smile.

At that moment, the door to the library opened, a servant appearing. "Princess Elsa, Anna, it is time for your afternoon lunch." Both girls realized that their bellies were rumbling with hunger and shared a sheepish look; they'd nearly forgotten it was lunchtime.

"Of course." Elsa nodded her understanding and Anna hopped off of her lap. Elsa closed the book, preparing to store it away. Anna, though, took a step forward, tugging at her gown.

"Wait, Elsie! Can I see the book one more time?" She asked. Elsa was about to gently remind Anna that she was a growing girl and needed her meal. But looking at her puppy dog face, gave in.

"Very well. Don't stay too long. Mother and Father will be expecting us." She patted the girl's head and handed her the book. As she started off, Anna held up the book, flipping back to the last page they'd read.

Her eyes scanned the words, though not comprehending them wholly. And then she looked at the drawing once more, noting his snowy hair, watery blue eyes and crooked smile. Anna closed her eyes, hugging the storybook to her chest, "I believe in you, Jack Frost." She whispered.

"Princess Anna?" The servant called. Her eyes flew back open.

"Coming!" She answered, sticking the book as high on the shelf as she could reach. Its rightful place was too far. The little princess then ran to catch up with Elsa, nearly tripping as she did.


	2. The Snowball Fight

**So here's the first little short story :) I should be posting each one every other week, throughout the holiday season (y'know since ROTG and Frozen are those kind of movies). So far, there are roughly seven one-shots which should carry out into January (depending on what more I come up with ^^) ps, in case maybe you guys didn't notice, my avatar has been of JackxAnna for a while, so maybe you guys saw this coming?**

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Anna left the tea room, eager to meet up with her friend. Her sister watched her dash off, curious, but turned away, heading for her chambers. Just as Anna entered her room and closed the door, Jack appeared at her window. Always on time it seemed. She waved and ran up, unlocking the window. "Jack, hi!"

"Hey, Anna." He smiled, standing on her sill. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my cloak." She held up her pointer finger for a minute, and pulled her magenta cape off of the coat stand. Quickly fastening the clasp, she came forward. "Ok, let's go!" He grabbed her hand and helped her up; Anna wrapped her arms around his neck for safety. And with that he set off into the air. That afternoon, he took her farther than she'd been before. The forest beyond the village, just below the mountains. They landed just past the tree line entrance.

Anna slipped from him, her black boots crunching down on the snow. She eyed her surroundings, smiling to herself. The magic of Jack's powers never ceased to amaze her. "So, what should we do first?" He asked.

"Snowball fight!" Anna blurted. Jack's eyes widened, but then he smirked.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, I haven't made a snowball in the longest." Anna said.

"Can you throw one?" Jack further questioned.

"I'd like to think so." Anna shrugged, placing a hand on her hip.

Jack grinned wider, "You got to be careful about challenging me to a snowball fight."

Anna raised an eyebrow, "I always thought it was just for fun."

"Well, sure, but not without a little competition." He grabbed at the snow on the ground. "Watch."

He molded the snow into a perfect sphere, blowing on it; Anna's eyes widened, seeing the ball turn blue. Jack then arched his arm back and tossed the snowball. It sailed a couple of feet before slamming into a passing animal's side. It yelped in surprise and stampeded away. "That is what you'd be in for."

Anna arched her eyebrow, turning to Jack and said, "You're on."

Jack smirked, his teeth flashing in the light. The corner of her lip curled up, and she bent down, grabbing a handful. He watched her shape it into a lumpy mound and shook his head, "I'll give you a head start."

He held his arms out wide, signifying he was open for attack. "How thoughtful of you, Jack, taking it easy on me." She jutted out her bottom lip, speaking sarcastically. "You're gonna wish you hadn't." Jack chuckled, projecting that he was open. She wound her arm back and grunted, tossing the snowball. It flew past Jack, hitting the tree. He turned his head to look. "Oh." She cringed. He turned back to Anna, his arms dropping to her sides. "Ok, that was just a trial throw." She said.

"Nope, it's too late for that!" He took a few steps back, scooping up another snowball, "Come on, snowflake, it's time for some real fun."

Anna bit her lip, "Alright, fine! But I'm gonna get you, Jack!" She grabbed more snow, mashing it together. She began to give chase and he ran off, weaving in and out of trees. He looked back over his shoulder, tossing his snowball. Anna ducked with a yelp and looked back, grinning at her evasion. She prepared to throw her own, but another smacked her in the face. "Ah!" She cried stumbling back, dropping her own in surprise. "Ugh!" Anna grabbed another and threw with all her might. It hit Jack in the back of the neck, "Hah!" She shouted as he lost balance.

"That was lucky!" He called back.

"Lucky my backside, that was a nice shot!" Anna huffed out. She reached for more snow "That's right! Keep, keep running, why don't you?" She fumbled slightly on the ground.

Jack fired three more shots, all hit their target perfectly. "Getting a little competitive, aren't we?" He called as they did.

"It's part of the game, isn't it?" She chucked a snowball that hit him in the back. "Hey, I'm getting pretty good at this!" Adrenaline began to pump through her veins as she caught up to him, she ran past him, shouting, "Try to catch me, Jack!"

Jack shook his head, chuckling, "What have I created?"

Nonetheless, he followed, reaching for more snow. Jack followed, aiming at her. Two hit Anna, but one hit a tree as she ducked out of sight. He sped forward, the wind gusting him onward. Soon he was right on Anna's tail.

The early evening light cast a soft glow on the snow, causing it to shimmer pink. It was peaceful until Anna tumbled onto the scene, past the tree line, followed by a few snowballs. She stumbled, grabbing for more ammo "I'll get you back for that... Jack?" Anna turned around to find that he was gone.

Still clutching her snowball warily, she called out, "Jack!" There was no answer. She frowned, slipping back into the forest. "Jack, where are you?" Still no answer.

"Are you okay?" She looked around the trees. "Hello?" Anna gazed up to the treetops.

Now, she was worried, finally tossing her snowball to the ground. "Okay, game over, you win! Say something if you can hear me, Jack! Please!"

And then she felt something cold plop onto her head. Her eyes widened, then gazed up. Anna reached up, touching at her head. When she withdrew her hand, she found bits of snow on the palm of her mittens. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. And then Anna heard laughter.

She looked up to a nearby tree; the branches shook and snow fell from them as Jack hopped down to the ground. "You're right, Anna. I win!" Anna gaped. And then she scowled.

"You tricked me!" She stomped her foot like a small child. He laughed again, swinging his staff over his shoulder. Anna placed her hands on her hips. "That wasn't funny, Jack. I thought something had happened to you."

"I was just having a bit of fun, that's all...Look, I'm sorry for worrying you, Anna." He said.

Anna sighed, her hands sliding down, "Alright... Just... don't do it again, okay? You had me really scared there, Jack."

Jack's eyes widened; he'd scared her? He nodded his head in agreement.

"Good." She smiled, but then said, "Cuz' next time I'm gonna kick your butt fair and square." She smirked.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, snowflake." He flashed a grin of his own.

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**I should probably mention that well, I went and spoiled the Frozen movie for myself through the book adaptations and because of that is why I ship this new pairing ^^' So I've found quite a few connections between these two characters, but I'll leave you guys to figure them out for yourselves once you see the movie ;)**


	3. Ice Skating

**The next chapter of my one-shot series :) Enjoy! **

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Anna and her sister, Elsa, were in the middle of tea lessons. They sat at either side of the table with the instructor in the middle. Anna held the teacup to her lips, drinking in and the teacher eyed her. Anna swallowed, looking to Elsa. Her sister took a dainty sip of tea and in realization, Anna followed her example. The instructor returned to her own drink. Relieved, Anna took another sip, her eyes wandering to the window. Jack Frost was there, waving. Anna nearly choked, but gulped down her tea. Elsa and their teacher eyed her again. Anna cleared her throat, "Um, will you excuse me for a moment, I, uh, have to go do something."

"In the middle of your lessons, your highness?" The instructor spoke.

"Yeah, um, bathroom." Was her excuse. She stumbled out of the room. The remaining women watched her curiously.

"Such a strange child." The instructor said.

"Yes, well, her behavior has changed as of late." Elsa sighed.

Anna ran down the hall, Jack following from window to window. She came to a stop, unlatching the largest. "Jack? What are you doing here? Right in the middle of tea lessons?"

"Is that what that was?" Jack craned his head back toward the room.

"Yeah, it's kind of boring, I know." Anna said.

"Huh. Well, I thought your classes were over. Came by too early, I guess. My bad." He said. "Anyways, I've got something fun planned for today- ice skating." He grinned.

Anna blanched. A klutz like her on ice? She could barely keep balance on solid ground. "Oh… great." She exhaled.

"Aw, come on. Give it a chance. I'll help you if you want." He responded and Anna bit her lip.

"Fine." She gave in. "But I don't have any ice skates."

"Don't worry; I'll take care of that." He assured her and she raised an eyebrow. "Meet me behind the castle after your classes, okay?"

"Alright." Anna greed and he smiled, sliding his grip off of the window frame and sill. The wind blew him into the air.

"It's gonna be great, Anna. I promise!" He called over his shoulder.

"Yeah, okay!" She yelled out the window, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. When he was out of sight, she shut the window, returning to the tea room. The two women pretended not to be interested. Anna stretched her arms out at her side, "I'm all good now. Where were we?"

After lessons, Anna grabbed her cloak and slipped outside. She met her friend at their usual spot by the lake. "Alright, I'm here."

Jack smiled and held up a pair of skates, "Here are your ice skates." He bent over, feigning primness. Anna took them, rolling her eyes.

"Where did you get these?" She asked, eyeing the weathered skates.

"Around." Jack shrugged and she eyed him curiously. "Now, come on, let's go." He gestured for her to hold on before heading toward the forest. Jack and Anna landed by a frozen pond in the middle of a clearing and Anna dropped down. She pulled off her boots, leaving them in the snow. As she slid on her skates, Jack headed for the pond.

"Wait up!" She cried and he came to a stop, whirling around to face her. With her skates on, she carefully came to her feet, but quickly wobbled. She landed back on her bottom and Jack snickered. She scowled, standing back up and rubbing her sore bum.

"Come here, I'll help you onto the ice." Anna made her way forward and he took her hands into his own. "Careful, okay? Baby steps."

Anna breathed, "Right, right." One foot landed on the ice and she immediately slipped. Jack helped her up before she did a full split. "Oh, no. Ohhh, no…" She whined.

"Calm down, it's gonna be alright, Anna." She looked up and weakly nodded. "Just count 1, 2 in your head with each step." Anna took a deep breath, counting in her head, gazing at her feet. She moved forward as he did backward, "Uh… Anna?" He winced.

"Huh?"

"You've, uh, you've got a pretty tight grip." Anna looked up to find she was squeezing his hands hard.

"Oh! Sorry." She sheepishly loosened her grip. Jack grinned.

"No worries, you're doing good. Now, I'm gonna let go and-" He began, but Anna panicked.

"What? No, wait!" She gripped his hands tight again.

"Ah!" He inhaled sharply, "It's okay, Anna, you're gonna be okay." She looked to him worriedly. "I'm gonna let go and you skate towards me." Anna's gripped loosened as he pulled away, walking back a few paces. She looked to her feet, trying to count; she stumbled again and whimpered. "No, don't look down, look at me. Just keep your eyes on me, alright?" Anna agreed, following his advice. Gazing into his blue eyes, she began to relax and skated on.

1,2 1,2

A few paces forward, she began to gain balance, "There you go." Jack grinned as her strides became more steady. Anna smiled, going a little faster as Jack led them in a circle around the pond.

"Oh my gosh, I'm really doing it." Anna said proudly. "Woo!" She slid a little ways before picking up her pace again.

"See? I told you it'd be great." Jack said, maneuvering on the ice to move by Anna's side now.

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly a coordinated person. Ice skating isn't really my forte. But you're right. It is kind of fun." She smiled and Jack returned the sentiment. Anna sped a little faster and Jack continued beside her. She glanced to his bare feet, gliding on the ice. "How are you doing that, anyway?"

Jack grinned, "Oh, this?" He slid forward and shrugged, "Comes with being a winter spirit."

"Lucky." Anna wobbled before catching up to him. "This must look so easy for you, then."

"Yup." Jack agreed, and then said, "But, hey, if you can believe it, I used to be pretty clumsy, too."

"Yeah, I don't believe you." Anna replied.

"No, really. Like, that first night at the pond, I was all over the place. The wind blew me up into the sky and then I was falling through the trees." He chuckled at the memory, but Anna honestly couldn't see that in her head. "Oh… But that was before I figured out how to control my powers." They made another round around the pond. "I just can't believe you've never learned to skate before." Jack remarked as Anna slid by.

"I used to when I was young, I remember, but… That was a long time ago…" She replied, contemplatively.

"Hm." Jack sounded, catching up to her. The sun began to set when Jack finally came to a stop followed by Anna. "I should probably get you home soon."

Anna looked to the sky, panting. "Oh, you're right. It's almost time for dinner." She skated toward the snow bank, "Let me just take a breather." Anna stepped onto the snow, quickly removing her skates and pulling on her boots. She plopped down onto the ground, Jack following and crouching beside her. Anna returned the skates to him, "You can take those back to wherever you found them." Jack shrugged and slung them over his shoulder. Anna sighed then said, "Thank you for teaching me to skate, Jack."

"Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" He answered with a grin. Anna nodded in agreement. She really thought she'd hate it, ice skating. And she had been a little scared. But Jack had been there to help her and just as he said, she enjoyed herself.

When the sun had fallen past the horizon, the two stood from the snow. Jack pulling Anna up into the air and back to her castle. He dropped her down by the lake, then waved goodbye. She returned the gesture, thinking she wouldn't mind being on ice again.

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**Review, Follow and Favorite, please! **


	4. Story Time

**Update! Enjoy! (I know the gates don't open until the coronation, but for the sake of the story, let's all just go with it XD) **

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Arendelle didn't get any visitors. One sunny, yet cold morning held an exception. The royal family of Enchancia arrived at the castle in a golden carriage. Out hopped the king, queen, prince and two princesses. Elsa and Anna stood by to welcome the family to Arendelle. Elsa remained stoic and calm while Anna was more than eager. Meeting new people was a rarity that she wanted to take advantage of.

She was surprised to find that the prince and princesses- who she was most excited to meet- were a good head shorter than her. Anna shrugged it off, though, still open to be friendly with them. The prince looked extremely bored, the blonde princess eyed Anna once with disinterest, but looked to Elsa with admiration; the auburn-haired princess gazed around the area with wide eyes.

Anna was occupied for the majority of the day, less so than Elsa, but still offered entertainment. The family took to Elsa mostly, entranced by the regality of the future queen, but Anna got a couple of good moments in as well. Still, after dinner, Anna was eager to slip away. She'd promised to Jack an evening in the library and didn't want to keep him waiting.

Jack appeared at the window and she allowed him inside; he hopped down, removing his cloak and setting down his staff. "There's lots to choose from so which do you pick?" Anna gestured to the bookshelves. Jack, who wasn't much of a book person, especially since he was a little rusty on his reading skills, scanned the coves. He eventually pulled out an adventure story with lots of pictures and few words. He and Anna sat before the fireplace, Jack reading aloud while Anna occasionally pitched in, helping him pronounce words. Toward the end of the tale, the library door creaked open.

Anna and Jack twisted around to face the littlest princess of the royal family, Sofia. The two then shared looks. "That's one of the princesses from the royal family." Anna muttered to Jack, having mentioned them before. He nodded.

"Who are you talking to?" Sofia lifted an eyebrow. Anna's eyes widened and she glanced to her friend again, faltering. Jack frowned. Anna looked to the little girl,

"Jack Frost?"

"Who?" Sofia uttered. The little girl watched in confusion as Anna appeared to be conversing to thin air.

Anna thought a moment, and then smiled, "I've got an idea." Jack raised an eyebrow and watched Anna stand up, approaching Sofia. "Why, Sofia! You don't know who Jack Frost is?" The little girl shook her head. The older princess placed her hands on her hips, "Well, haven't you ever wondered where snow or ice comes from?"

"I never thought about it before." Sofia spoke contemplatively.

"That's him!" Anna replied.

"Wow. Really?" The younger princess said, eyes widening.

"Yes! Now to see him, there's something you've got to do."

"What?" Sofia asked, interested.

"Close your eyes." Anna instructed. The girl did so. "Spin around three times." Anna continued. Jack eyed her with a raised eyebrow. "And… Believe." Anna concluded.

Sofia scrunched her eyes closed tight, a bit dizzy and whispered, "Believe," to herself. Finally, she opened her eyes. Standing near Anna was a boy with pale skin, snowy white hair and watery blue eyes. Sofia gasped. "Anna, you were right!" Sofia exclaimed, running forward. Jack's eyes widened, disbelieving. But the child was staring right at him. She giggled, touching his cold hand, curiously, then looking up. Jack looked to Anna who was smiling happily. His lips cracked into a grin as he gazed back to Sofia. The little girl faced Anna, "Elsa said she hears you talk to yourself a lot, but I knew you weren't crazy."

"Oh. Really?" Anna laughed awkwardly, grabbing at her arm.

"Yeah." Sofia nodded.

"So what brought you here, anyway?" Anna spoke up.

"Oh, right. I wanted to read." Sofia spoke.

"Obviously." Jack muttered. Anna nudged him. Sofia looked between the two with an amused smile.

"But… will you two read a story to me?"

"Us?" They echoed each other.

"Yeah. Do you mind?"

"Uh…" Anna said.

"Well, no." Jack scratched at his hair.

Sofia grinned as Anna spoke, "What sort of stories do you like?"

"Fairy tales! With princesses in them." Sofia responded enthusiastically. Jack wasn't very interested in delving into that genre, but complied along with Anna. She pulled a thick book of tales off the shelf. Jack and Anna sat down by the fireplace once more, this time with Sofia wedged between them. They flipped open to the first story and began to read.

Anna and Jack took turns reading each page, the book open wide before them so Sofia could see the illustrations. The little girl noted how surprisingly deep the boy's voice was, reminding her of her father, the king and putting her at ease. The girl's contrasted nicely, light like a bell, yet animated as she read; reminding Sofia of her mother, the queen. Gradually, she began to nod off. "… The prince swept the princess into his arms, and the couple galloped on their white horse all the way to the castle." Anna read.

"And they lived happily ever after. The End." Jack finished. A light snore sounded from Sofia. He turned to her, then his friend, "Hey, Anna, looks like she fell asleep."

Anna glanced over, and then remarked, "We should probably take her to bed."

"Yeah." Jack agreed, before standing to his feet. "Here, I'll carry her." He pulled the little girl up and she unconsciously latched onto him. Anna shelved the book before joining him, heading out of the library.

Anna led them toward the guest hall, the palace quiet. She marveled over the girl resting on Jack's shoulder. "She's so cute… I wouldn't mind being little again."

The boy smiled slightly, "Yeah…"

Anna looked to him, then, "Oh, down this way." The two headed into a long hall. Arriving at Sofia's bedroom, they entered. Jack pulled at Sofia, trying to detach her from him, but her fingers stubbornly clutched to his shirt. Anna watched him struggle for a moment, trying not to giggle. Finally, Sofia fell onto the bed. Jack ran a hand through his hair in relief, but then Sofia rolled over. Anna caught the child before she face-planted on the carpet. Jack and Anna winced, before Sofia was pushed back onto the blanket. Giving her one last look, the two quietly departed.

Back in the halls, Anna casually spoke up. "You and me make a pretty good team, huh?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "Well. We read Sofia to sleep, tucked her into bed AND you got another believer, Jack."

He smiled at that last remark, "True."

"It felt good." Anna continued. "Like I was a sister…"

"You are a sister." Jack responded.

"A real sister. The type who reads to you and plays with you and talks to you and… those types of things." Anna responded. Jack's eyes lowered; he knew she was thinking about Elsa. "Don't you think it'd be fun to have a big happy family like Sofia's?"

"Yeah." Jack responded. Of course he would. He'd spent 100 years with himself as company. And that was never a comfort. At least he had Anna now, the closest thing to family for Jack. The corner of his lips turned up, a bittersweet smile appearing on his face. Then there was Sofia, another child who now believed. The smile on his face became more genuine. "Yeah, that'd be nice."

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**Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favorites! It really means a lot, seriously. I wasn't sure how this series would fare, considering majority appears to be leaning toward Jelsa, but you're making continuing this story worthwhile, so thanks for reading :)**


	5. The Ball

**Next part, yay! Like the last one, this deviates a bit from the story, considering the castle wasn't open until Elsa's coronation. But again, let's all just go with it X**

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Jack and Anna spent the afternoon wandering about the trees behind the castle. It was silent until Jack spoke, "You're quiet today." Anna nodded a little. He continued with a smirk, "That's not normal." She smiled slightly in amusement, but it didn't last. Jack frowned.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked. Anna bit her lip and finally answered.

"There's a ball tonight."

Jack furrowed his brows, "So?"

"So, this is my_ first _ball!" Anna replied, "I mean, there's gonna be small talk, finger foods and… and dancing!"

"I'd think you'd be excited for that." Jack spoke, a small grin upon his face.

"I know, I am. But I'm kind of freaking out, too. There's going to be tons of people and…" Anna trailed off.

"Well, what are you going to do?" He looked to her. Anna shrugged.

"Act natural, I guess? But I mean, I'm so… average. Will people even notice me?"

"Sure. Look, Anna you should you go to that ball and have a good time."

"Even if I'm clumsy and, and I talk too much and I'm constantly making a fool out of myself-" Anna listed on her fingers.

Jack interrupted, "You're also fun and warm, and a great friend and you've got a good heart." Anna blinked twice, letting his words sink in. She smiled a little, looking to him. Jack returned the sentiment. "So, what are you going to do?"

That evening, Anna dressed for the royal ball in her room. She smiled contentedly; with the thin sleeves of her spring green gown draping over her shoulders and her hair in a braided bun as opposed to the usual pigtails, Anna felt a little more grown up. Settling a necklace with the kingdom symbol engraved upon it just below her collarbone, she was finally finished. The castle staff appeared at her door. It was time.

Darkness had fallen when Jack made a round past Arendelle once again. At the castle, lights shone out from the windows, catching his interest. Curious, he perched himself by a window, peering inside. The celebration was big and bustling as expected and he tried to spot his friend. Contrary to her previous belief, she stood out quite well. Jack smiled, thinking to himself that she looked really pretty. At that moment, a random stranger approached her, inviting Anna to a dance. Jack's smile faltered as she accepted, but shook bad thoughts away, "At least she dances better than she gives herself credit for…" He muttered. It was when yet another gentleman came up after the first that he finally dashed off, occupying himself with something else.

Later that night, Anna prepared for bed. As she brushed through her hair at the vanity, a dull smack sounded at her window. Shaken, she turned to it; after a moment, she saw a white snowball on the glass. Anna smiled, setting down the brush before running to the window. She unlocked and open it, calling down, "Jack!", just as another snowball sailed toward her. Anna shut her eyes, her face scrunching up as the sphere slammed right into it.

"Whoops. Sorry, Anna." Jack called back. The girl wiped bits of snow from her face with her sleeve.

"It's, uh, it's ok." She responded. "Come on up." Anna gestured back with the wave of her hand, moving back to give Jack space. He shot up, hopping into her bedroom from the windowsill.

"How did it go tonight?" Jack asked.

"Really well, to be honest." She grinned.

"See? What'd I tell you?" He gestured with his staff.

"Yeah, I enjoyed myself down there…" The smile was still present on her face. Then thought for a moment, "Hey, I wanna show you something." Jack raised an eyebrow. "Follow me." She said, heading for the door. Jack shrugged, setting down his staff and draping his cloak onto a nearby stand. Anna led Jack into the halls, peering around quietly. No one was around.

"Where are you taking me?" He asked, as they padded along.

"You'll see." She whispered, looking around the corner. Grinning almost impishly, Anna shuffled along and then came to a stop. Jack came behind her and then gasped, slightly. They were standing just above the ballroom, now dark and vacant. Anna headed down the stairs and to the floor; at the bottom, she spun a little. Jack eyed over the room, overwhelmed by its largeness as opposed to seeing it from outside. "I wish you could've been here, Jack. You would've had fun, too." She turned to look at him., "The people are gone, the food and the decorations, but… We can still dance."

"Dance?" Jack echoed.

"Sure. You wouldn't think it, but I actually didn't step on anyone's foot tonight." Jack smirked, allowing Anna to guide him to the center of the floor. "Let's see, uh, you put your hand here." She took his hand and placed it on her waist. "And I put my hand here." Anna placed her hand on his shoulder. Their eyes met as she said, "And then lock hands here." Both hands reached out, cold meeting warm as their fingers interlocked. "Now, follow my lead." She said, they began to glide across the floor- back and forth, side to side. As they danced, Anna began to mutter a tune.

Jack spoke quietly, "What are you doing?"

"Providing the music." She responded, smiling, before continuing. The melody had that familiarity that one can't quite spot; there was a hint of melancholy, reminding Jack of those years alone in the world. He frowned slightly, but it didn't last as he met Anna's gaze. She was here now and the thought of that made him smile.

It didn't take long for Jack to get the hang of things, moving along the ballroom floor with Anna as easily as he did on ice. She laughed with glee as he spun her out before catching her back, pulling her into his arms. Then, the dance slowed down, the two growing quiet. They were close, Anna thought, closer than with the men at the ball. Something stirred in her as she gazed up at Jack. Anna's humming diminished into silence. "Why'd you stop?" He spoke up.

"Huh?" Anna blinked. "Oh. I just go distracted."

"By what?" He cocked an eyebrow, looking around the empty ballroom.

"Heh. Good question, uh…" Anna stammered as he twirled her out a final time.

"Who's down there?" A voice called, abruptly. Anna and Jack stiffened, gazing up. A castle servant stood by the stair railing. "Your highness? Princess Anna is that you?"

Anna winced, "Yes."

"What on earth are you doing down there?" The servant cried.

"Um, well…" She turned to Jack who only shrugged. The castle servant sighed,

"Never mind; just please, return to your bedroom. It's the middle of the night, you know."

"Yes. Of course. Sorry." Anna replied. The servant retreated and Anna looked to Jack.

The two returned to Anna's bedroom and Jack uttered, "Grownups always ruin the fun, don't they?"

"He was right, though. I was irresponsible, I guess." Anna replied with a half-hearted shrug.

"Well, I don't like the way he was talking to you, either." Jack spoke. "I mean, you're a princess."

"Yeah, well, when you don't act like one, you don't get treated like one." Anna mused. Jack frowned. "Still that was fun, dancing with you."

"Yeah. That was actually the… first time I've danced with a girl." He scratched at his head, his voice lowering as he spoke.

"Same here, well, it's the first time with a boy, I mean… like that." Anna trailed off. Jack smiled a little, then cleared his throat.

"Yeah… Well, I'd better get going. Don't want to keep you up all night."

"Right." Anna nodded. Jack pulled on his cloak and gripped his staff. She bit her lip, "Jack, wait." Heading over to the window, he stopped, turning back. Anna, catching him by surprise, kissed his cheek. Feeling the warmth of her lips on his cold skin lit his face up red. Anna pulled back, "That's for, uh, earlier. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have had such a great time at the ball. So, thank you."

Jack cooled down and now grinned. "You're welcome, Anna."

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	6. Northern Lights

**Next part! Yay! Enjoy :) And I hope everyone's having a happy holiday season :D**

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Anna's birthday was never something special, not since childhood. She didn't let it get to her, though. It was a rarity to have big celebrations in the castle of Arendelle after all. And birthdays were no exception.

On the day of her 17th birthday, Elsa uttered a simple "happy birthday", which was better than nothing coming from her. The rest of the castle was casual, some remembered and some forgot.

When Jack visited that afternoon, Anna mentioned it was her special day. Jack nearly tripped, "What?" Anna nodded. "Well, happy birthday, then." He grinned widely, patting her shoulder. Anna smiled sheepishly, grabbing at her arm. "How come you didn't tell me before? I could've, I could've gotten you a present." He balanced his staff behind his head with his hands.

"Hey, it's no big deal; you don't need to get me a present. I'm used to it, anyway."

"Are you kidding, Anna? No way, you're my best friend! You deserve something special." He countered.

Anna couldn't hold back her smile, "Okay, well, what have you got planned?"

Jack shrugged, "I'll have to think that over. In the meantime, why don't you and me head over to the forest. I could teach you how to skate a figure 8."

It was when the afternoon ended and Jack brought Anna home that he finally decided on her present. "I'll come back tonight, after everyone's gone to sleep. Wait for me till then."

"Alright." Anna smiled, now eager. "Do I get a hint?"

"Nope." Jack grinned and the smile was wiped from her face. She gave him a look. "It'll ruin the surprise." He added and Anna finally agreed as he started off. She watched him go, curious as to what her present was.

That night, Anna lay in bed awake, waiting for her friend to come. Eventually there was a tapping at her window; her body was facing away from it, but Anna knew who it was. She sat up and waved at Jack who returned the gesture. Anna then slid out of bed, fixing her hair a little and straightening out her gown before turning around and approaching the window. "Hey, Jack."

"Hi. You ready for your surprise?" He spoke. Anna nodded her head eagerly. She grabbed her cloak, pulling it on and joining him on the windowsill.

"Let's go." Anna grinned, taking ahold of his hand and the two set off. They flew off for some time before landing at the foot of a hill.

At this, Jack said, "Now you're gonna have to close your eyes."

"Why?" Anna raised an eyebrow and Jack replied with,

"You'll see." Anna was now curious, but chose to close her eyes nonetheless with a little sigh. Jack made sure she wasn't peeking and then grinned, grabbing her hand. "Come on, I'll lead the way."

Jack led Anna set up the steep, snow mountainside. She clung to his hand tightly, her eyes reluctantly closed shut. "You aren't tricking me again, are you, Jack?" She spoke up, halfway there.

He laughed, "No. No, not this time." Jack assured her. Anna raised an eyebrow, but had no choice but to believe him. Finally, they reached the summit. Jack stopped and let her hand go. "Okay, now, open your eyes, Anna." He said. She let her eyes flutter open and they widened when she did. Above her was the vast night sky, glittering with blinking stars- and weaving about them were soft waves of light. The northern lights. Jack turned to his friend and grinned upon seeing her awestruck expression. A smile then spread across Anna's lips, "Oh, Jack…" She tore away her gaze at the sky to look at him.

"Well, you talk about it a lot so I only figured…"

"Thank you. This is absolutely amazing." She grinned.

"No problem, snowflake." Jack responded, and then set his staff over his shoulder, squatting on the ground. Anna followed suit, sitting beside him. She pulled her knees to her chest, folding her arms over them. For some time, they just sat like that, enjoying the view.

Anna spoke up, "They're so bright."

"Mm." Jack sounded.

"They're like the nighttime version of a rainbow." Anna added.

Jack's eyebrows scrunched together, "What?"

"Yeah, cuz, they're in the sky and colorful, and-" Jack eyed her with a raised eyebrow. "You know what, never mind." She finished.

Jack chuckled and then turned his attention back to the sky. Silence fell over the two for a moment. Anna spoke up again, "Where do you think it comes from, the northern lights?"

Jack's eyes lowered, "Oh, it's the Guardian's signal."

"Really? How do you know?"

"I _have _talked to them before." Jack replied.

Anna nodded slightly, then said, "What is it a signal for?"

"Something important, usually. I don't know what's going on, though."

"Huh." Anna uttered, then looked to him, "Maybe we should find out what's happening."

"What? No, no, let them handle their own business." Jack shook his head.

"Why? We could help. And you deserve to be there up at the pole just as much as they do." Jack just gave her a look. "Ah, come on, Jack, why don't you think you could be a guardian?"

"For the same reasons you don't see yourself as a princess." Jack answered. "They're all hard work and deadlines and I'm… snowballs and fun times."

Anna furrowed her brows, "But you're kind, too. You're brave and helpful. And… and you're there for me when I need you. You've made me happy when I'm at my worst." Anna was soon rambling. "You don't make me feel so lonely anymore. You've been a wonderful friend to me and… And you're _my _Guardian."

Jack was driven speechless, staring at her. Anna grew a little insecure, but cracked a smile. Learning what he meant to her was a big eye-opener for Jack; he contemplated her words. "Anna…" Jack began, then faltered. He closed his eyes for a moment, then sighed.

"That's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said about you, right?" Anna supplied.

"You could say that." He spoke, a small smile appearing on his own face. Jack looked up again, meeting her gaze. If only Anna knew what she meant to _him_. Finally, acting on impulse, he reached out toward her.

He cupped her chin with his hand, leaning forward slightly. Anna froze, eyeing him over. "Jack…?" Before moving any closer, he seemed to silently ask for an invitation first. "Oh…" She breathed near inaudibly; though nervous, leaned in as well, allowing him permission. Jack's eyes flickered down to her lips and she blushed, though Anna met his gaze when he looked back. Her eyes fluttered closed, heartbeat quickening in her chest now. She felt him grow closer as the cold sent pleasant chills up her spine. And then he gently touched her lips with his own.

The kiss was short, no more than seven seconds, yet sent both of their hearts racing. Anna felt her lips grow numb from the contact, yet didn't mind. It was her first kiss and to her, felt magical. Jack pulled away, though reluctant to part with the warmth her body gave him. He opened his eyes, as did she; her cheeks were still heated red and Jack, noticing, grinned his crooked smile. Anna felt her face grow hotter despite the cold and laughed self-consciously.

Jack then turned his head back to the lights, smile still on his face. Anna followed suit, though scooting closer to him than before. Their close proximity caused her to shiver again, but she ignored it, resting her head on his shoulder.

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